MADE OUR DAY
The Tennessean Hotel in Knoxville is a creative and cultural hub in The Maker City Written by Dave Mahanes / Photos by Tony Long, Shawn Poynter, and Charlie Mahanes I’ve driven through Knoxville many times but have yet to spend some good quality time there. Recently, Melissa, my younger son, Charlie, and I had the opportunity to spend 24 hours in Knoxville while we were going to take Charlie for his senior year at Wake Forest. It was a truly wonderful experience. We arrived at the Tennessean Hotel around noon. The hotel was originally an administrative building built for the 1982 World’s Fair, which was then converted into an 82-room luxury hotel with seven suites and 12 private residences. The hotel is located near the town center across the street from the beautiful, well-manicured World’s Fair Park and the iconic Sunsphere. It is within walking distance of the Tennessee River, Market Square, Gay Street, the Tennessee and Bijou Theatres, and The Knoxville Museum of Art. The hotel features spacious, well-appointed rooms with floor-to-ceiling glass windows to fully enjoy the spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains,
the Knoxville skyline, Neyland Stadium, and World’s Fair Park. The interiors evoke the flow of the Tennessee River, the rooms’ headboards feature maps of the Tennessee River, and the comfortable Lobby has a decorative bookcase reinforcing the river theme. The Tennessean is connected to the Marriott by Maker Exchange, an inviting gathering space and gallery celebrating Knoxville’s creative maker community and its art, crafts, furniture, and culinary scene. Makers on display throughout the space are of every medium—the light fixtures, furnishings, artworks and accessories are all part of the hotel’s permanent collection. Many of the items on display in the Maker Exchange are for sale. There is a Grid Wall that features an eclectic selection of small, square paintings by local artists, you can pick your favorite and the hotel will wrap it up for you, or you can shop online through shopmakerexchangeknox.com. slmag.net
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